King Charles breaks tradition with hidden detail in backdrop of this year's Christmas speech
King Charles breaks tradition with hidden detail in new Christmas speech for 2023
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King Charles has broken tradition with a hidden detail in the backdrop of this year's Christmas speech.
A still image from this year's broadcast has just been released, which highlights the King's second festive speech of his reign.
The picture shows that the speech, which was produced by ITN, was filmed in the Centre Room at Buckingham Palace.
The Royal Family travel to Sandringham for Christmas each year
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The Centre Room, located in the East Wing, opens onto the Buckingham Palace balcony and overlooks The Victoria Memorial and The Mall, where crowds gathered to celebrate the Coronation in May.
King Charles has included a hidden detail in the backdrop of this year's Christmas speech - a living tree.
This is the first time a living tree has been included in a royal Christmas speech.
The tree was decorated with natural and sustainable decorations including hand-turned wood, dried oranges, brown glass, pinecones and paper.
Queen Elizabeth II delivering her last Christmas speech in 2021
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Continuing his environmental activism, King Charles intends for the Christmas tree to be replanted after the broadcast on December 25.
A potpourri bowl with a gilt metal cover could be seen resting on a table in the background during the speech.
This circular tazza-shaped bowl of Japanese lacquered wood with gilt bronze mounts is held by the Royal Collection Trust and was likely acquired by King George IV.
King Charles's Christmas speech will air on Christmas Day at 3pm on GB News.
King Charles delivered his 2022 speech from St George's Chapel
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Royal insider Ephraim Hardcastle wrote: "With his Christmas Day message in the bag, King Charles has, according to my source, written the script himself without recourse to advisers.
"This follows last year's inaugural address to the nation when officials were only allowed to make minor alterations to fit with archive footage inserted by the producers."
He also told The Mail: "The King has learnt that he speaks best when he does so as off-the-cuff as possible, a talent he learnt relatively late in life."